By; USMAN NASIDI, Kaduna.
In a bid to raise awareness and gain government support for children living with Cerebral Palsy, the Golden Hope for Cerebral Palsy Warriors Initiative recently paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Marah Henry Zachariah, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, NGOs, and Development Partners at the Kaduna State House of Assembly.
The initiative highlighted the immense challenges faced by families of children with Cerebral Palsy, particularly the financial strain and social stigma that often accompany this condition. During the visit, several mothers shared their personal stories, shedding light on the hardships they endure.
According to Fatima Mohammed, a mother of twins with Cerebral Palsy, while recounting her experience, eight years ago, when her children were just four years old, her husband divorced her, following pressure from family and friends.
She explained that since then, she has been the sole caregiver for her children, relying on her modest income as a security guard at the Kaduna State High Court.
In response, Mr. Zachariah expressed concern, acknowledging the urgent need for government intervention, although his committee does not oversee health matters,
He assured the group that he would bring the issue to the attention of the Chairman of the House Committee on Health.
Additionally, as the Chairman of the Information Committee, he pledged to mobilize media organizations, including Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC), Kaduna State Television (KSTV), Channels TV, and Arise TV to document the experiences of children living with cerebral palsy at Barau Dikko General Hospital on their clinical day.
The resulting documentaries will be broadcast to create widespread awareness and foster collaboration with other organizations addressing similar challenges.
Mr. Zachariah invited the Golden Hope for Cerebral Palsy Warriors Initiative to return on Monday, September 1, to finalize the arrangements for the proposed documentary.
